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11 – 20 of 46In daily life, some special systems are difficult to handle, such as indistinct systems (the reverse of explicit systems), history systems, future systems, infinite systems, etc…
Abstract
Purpose
In daily life, some special systems are difficult to handle, such as indistinct systems (the reverse of explicit systems), history systems, future systems, infinite systems, etc. It is one of the more important topics of broad-spectrum philosophy to give these systems observo-controllable and -manipulatable forms from the angle of epistemology and methodology. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The author conducted a broad-spectrum analysis of some typical mechanisms of general object systems and general cognition systems through a generalized quantification method and a dynamic structure method.
Findings
Through generalized quantification and dynamic structure methods, the author can draw some new conclusions about these special systems: for example, the indistinct system has certain relations and structures, but these relations and structures cannot be observo-controlled directly under certain conditions; further, the indistinct system and explicit system are interdependent, and therefore people can transform an indistinct system into an explicit one.
Originality/value
Through the study of special systems, the author may find a new perspective and research topic for broad-spectrum philosophy, which may provide a new concept and study frame for future analysis of these special systems.
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Yuchai Sun, Xiaogang Chen, Zhonghao Cheng and Xunwei Feng
The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a study on heat transfer through a textile assembly consisting of fabric and air layers based on a theoretical model capable…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a study on heat transfer through a textile assembly consisting of fabric and air layers based on a theoretical model capable of dealing with conductive, convective and radioactive heat transfer.
Design/methodology/approach
Quantificational results were given out by the aid of finite element (FE) analysis software MSC MARC Mentat.
Findings
Significant findings through this paper include the change in heat flux against time and the transit temperature distribution at the cross‐section of the fabric assembly. The size of the air gaps has a significant influence on the heat transfer. The balance heat flux drops by 40 per cent when the air gap increases from 2 to 10 mm. The influence of the air gap tends to become smaller as the air gap is further increased. The number of fabric layers in the textile assembly has a noted influence, more so when the ambient temperature is lower. Comparisons between the theoretical and tested results show a good agreement.
Originality/value
This paper has established a new method for clothing comfort study by making use of a general purpose FE method software package.
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Mo He, Xiaogang Wang and Naigang Cui
The purpose of this paper is to present a high accuracy path following method for low-cost fixed-wing UAVs.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a high accuracy path following method for low-cost fixed-wing UAVs.
Design/methodology/approach
The original vector field (VF) algorithm is condensed. A spatial integration mechanism is added to the existing VF and nonlinear guidance law, aiming to decrease steady-state cross-track-error and cope with long-term disturbance.
Findings
Numerical simulations show the proposed method could diminish steady-state cross-track-error effectively. Test flights show the proposed method is applicable on low-cost fixed-wing UAVs.
Practical implications
The path following accuracy shown in simulations and test flights indicates the proposed method could be deployed in scenarios including inflight rendezvous, formation, trafficway take-off and landing.
Originality/value
This paper provides an improved high-accuracy path following method for low-cost fixed-wing UAVs.
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Cheng Chen, Xiaogang Wang, Wutao Qin and Naigang Cui
A novel vision-based relative navigation system (VBRNS) plays an important role in aeronautics and astronautics fields, and the filter is the core of VBRNS. However, most of the…
Abstract
Purpose
A novel vision-based relative navigation system (VBRNS) plays an important role in aeronautics and astronautics fields, and the filter is the core of VBRNS. However, most of the existing filtering algorithms used in VBRNS are derived based on Gaussian assumption and disregard the non-Gaussianity of VBRNS. Therefore, a novel robust filtering named as cubature Huber-based filtering (CHF) is proposed and applied to VBRNS to improve the navigation accuracy in non-Gaussian noise case.
Design/methodology/approach
Under the Bayesian filter framework, the third-degree cubature rule is used to compute the cubature points which are propagated through state equation, and then the predicted mean and the associated covariance are taken. A combined minimum l1 and l2-norm estimation method referred as Huber’s criterion is used to design the measurement update. After that, the vision-based relative navigation model is presented and the CHF is used to integrate the line-of-sight measurements from vision camera with inertial measurement of the follower to estimate the precise relative position, velocity and attitude between two unmanned aerial vehicles. During the design of relative navigation filter, the quaternions are used to represent the attitude and the generalized Rodrigues parameters are used to represent the attitude error. The simulation is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm.
Findings
By this means, the VBRNS could perform better than traditional VBRNS whose filter is designed by Gaussian filtering algorithms. And the simulation results demonstrate that the CHF could exhibit robustness when the system is non-Gaussian. Moreover, the CHF has more accurate estimation and faster rate of convergence than extended Kalman Filtering (EKF) in face of inaccurate initial conditions.
Originality/value
A novel robust nonlinear filtering algorithm named as CHF is proposed and applied to VBRNS based on cubature Kalman filtering (CKF) and Huber’s technique. The CHF could adapt to the non-Gaussian system effectively and perform better than traditional Gaussian filtering such as EKF.
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Ying Yang, Wei Wu, Xuequn Cheng, Jinbin Zhao, Baijie Zhaoal and Xiaogang Li
This study aims to develops a new-type low-alloy corrosion resistant steel containing Sb and investigate the corrosion mechanism of this new-type low-alloy steel.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develops a new-type low-alloy corrosion resistant steel containing Sb and investigate the corrosion mechanism of this new-type low-alloy steel.
Design/methodology/approach
Energy dispersive spectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the rust layers formed on these samples. Laser confocal microscopy was used to observe the corroded surfaces of the steels.
Findings
Results showed that Sb added can consume H+ in the solution, thereby preventing the oxygen reaction to slow down the corrosion rate. Meanwhile, a stable and insoluble substance (Sb2O3) in the acidic solution would be produced when the reaction of the product of Sb and H+ with the enough dissolved oxygen in the solution. Due to the precipitation of Sb2O3 and iron oxyhydroxides, the rust layer of Sb-containing steel became more uniform and compact, which resulted in better corrosion resistance in acid environment.
Originality/value
In this study, a new-type acid resistant low-alloy steel containing Sb was developed. Compared with the results, the corrosion mechanism of the new-type low-alloy steel in acid environment was discussed.
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Xiaogang Cao, Hui Wen and Bowei Cao
In this paper, the authors study the production and pricing decisions of a remanufacturing supply chain composed of a supplier, an assembler and a remanufacturer, in which the…
Abstract
Purpose
In this paper, the authors study the production and pricing decisions of a remanufacturing supply chain composed of a supplier, an assembler and a remanufacturer, in which the remanufacturing of components requires patent licensing from the supplier.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors consider three different models with government subsidy for remanufacturing: (1) no government subsidies; (2) the government subsidizes the remanufacturing behavior of the supplier and (3) the government subsidizes the remanufacturing behavior of the remanufacturer and use the Stackelberg game model to solve and analyze the equilibrium wholesale prices of components and the equilibrium outputs of new and remanufactured products under three subsidy modes.
Findings
The results show that the equilibrium wholesale prices of two kinds of components decrease with the unit patent licensing fee and the unit government subsidy, and the equilibrium quantity of the remanufactured products under the three modes is obviously higher than that of the new products.
Originality/value
Finally through numerical simulation, it is found that the equilibrium profits of the supplier, the manufacturer and the supply chain increase monotonously in relation to the unit government subsidy, while the optimal profit of the assembler in relation to the unit government subsidy tends to decrease first and then increase.
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Yu Xie, Qing Lai and Xiaogang Wu
Prior research showed that danwei, the work unit, was very important in determining workers' social, economic, and political lives in pre-reform urban China. In this chapter, we…
Abstract
Prior research showed that danwei, the work unit, was very important in determining workers' social, economic, and political lives in pre-reform urban China. In this chapter, we argue that danwei continues to be an agent of social stratification in contemporary urban China. Using data from a 1999 survey that we conducted in three large Chinese cities, Wuhan, Shanghai, and Xi'an, we assess the extent to which workers' socioeconomic well-being depends on the financial conditions of their danwei. Results show that the financial situation of danwei remains one of the most important determinants of earnings and benefits. However, the explanatory power of danwei's financial situation is much greater for earnings than for benefits.
Xiaogang Cao, Yuan Li and Kai Huang
This paper studies how government subsidies (GS) and extended warranties (EW) feed decision-making about low-quality recycled used products (RUP) in closed-loop supply chains…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper studies how government subsidies (GS) and extended warranties (EW) feed decision-making about low-quality recycled used products (RUP) in closed-loop supply chains (CLSC).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use the Stackelberg game and numerical simulation to analyze how the quality of RUP affects decision-making about remanufacturing and EW.
Findings
The results show that (1) low-quality RUP will weaken the environmental and economic value of EW and harm the profits of the CLSC, and the retailer is more vulnerable to low-quality RUP than the manufacturer; (2) the participation of GS can weaken the negative impact of low-quality RUP on the CLSC, while the participation of EW cannot; (3) the participation of GS or EW can increase the recycling rate of used products and revenues of the CLSC; (4) the linkage of the two can further enhance the economic and environmental value of EW and significantly improve the resource utilization efficiency and benefits of the CLSC.
Originality/value
The authors study the impact of GS, EW and the linkage between the two on resource utilization and revenue of the CLSC.
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Feng Xu, Xueru Yang and Xiaogang He
Political connections are widely acknowledged as an effective political strategy for achieving firm value. However, surprisingly little is known about the association between…
Abstract
Purpose
Political connections are widely acknowledged as an effective political strategy for achieving firm value. However, surprisingly little is known about the association between political connections and individual-level outcomes (e.g. subjective well-being) and the underlying mechanism for this link.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on the schematic model of social capital and entrepreneurship and utilizing a sample of rural Chinese entrepreneurs, the authors developed and tested a multilevel model delineating the impact of political connections on entrepreneur well-being (job and life satisfaction) via the mediating roles of bribing behavior and institutional trust at individual and provincial levels.
Findings
Multilevel analyses revealed that at the individual level, political connections were positively associated with job and life satisfaction; bribing behavior and institutional trust served as partial mediators of these associations. These effects were deviated when examining them at the provincial level.
Research limitations/implications
The theoretical implications concerning the political connections and subjective well-being effects as well as comparative entrepreneurship were discussed.
Practical implications
Further, the authors provide guidance for both entrepreneurs and policymakers.
Originality/value
The study linked political connections to entrepreneurs' subjective well-being which is increasingly seen as an important ingredient of personal success via distinguishing the individual-level effects from the provincial-level effects. Thus, the study further contributes to the contextualized understanding of the entrepreneurship literature.
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Kaiwen Feng, Jinhua Zhang and Huang Yingwei
The purpose of this paper is to draw conclusions about China's agricultural integration (CAI) by looking back its processes stage by stage, discussing the problems related to CAI…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to draw conclusions about China's agricultural integration (CAI) by looking back its processes stage by stage, discussing the problems related to CAI, in order to learn salutary lessons for the future of agricultural development, for the increase in rural income, and especially for the promotion of CAI.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper comprises three stages: analyzing the process of CAI from the household responsibility system, to agricultural industrialization, until the stage of CAI led by farmers' co‐operatives; discussing the related practice together with literature; and historically proving that there is no better way to promote CAI than letting it be led by farmers' co‐operatives.
Findings
The paper finds that, the development of China's agricultural economic organizations is owing to CAI, and can be studied stage by stage; the process of CAI proves that it needs to be promoted as a new style led by farmers' co‐operative in order to increase rural income; literature review also gives eloquent proof of the above viewpoint; agricultural integration led by farmers' co‐operative should be taken as a better way to upgrade CAI and to increase rural income, for it can decrease the benefit disputes that usually happened in the former type of agricultural industrialization.
Originality/value
The obvious value of the paper is to show, by a historical review, a way to promote CAI and to increase farmers' income. A literature review finds these countermeasures comprehensively, historically, and theoretically. The information about CAI will be beneficial for people who are interested in the topic.
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